Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-08-27
WHAT Is NEGRO EQUALITY


ty'' Just now, but he would like to
have some of the white men who are
now discussing the question, to tell us
what they mean by "Negro equality
We hold that cultured intellect, good
morals and property represent the
worth of man. Do our white friends
mean that the Negro has not the
capacity to equal the white man? No
white man with common sense will
dare say any such thing.
The Weekly Star of Wilmington
devoted nearly two columns to the
subject last week, and the little even
ing Hornet of this city attempted to
say word upon the subject and went
just far enough to show that the edi-
tor is just about as we'll posted on the
subject as a Zulu chief is upon Eng
lish literature and American customs.
We do not know who the editor of the
Ho,net is, but if we are to estimate
the worth of the two races by a COM
parison of his editorial on "Negro
Equality to the writing of the
average Negro editor, we would de-
eide at once that the white race is fast
retrograding.
Now, if the white man retains his
high standard and the Negro should,
in the judgment of the white man, at
tain the same standard, how in the
name of common sense is that going
to injure the white man? Would it
not be better for all-ridding the
country of worthless (?) population?
There are some born white fools who
will never be sensible men. If COM
parsons are necessary at all, the best
of one should be compared to the best
of the other, and when we speak Of a
people, their opportunities should be
taken into consideration. Rev. DR..
Price, Hon. John NJ. Langston, and
Hon. Frederick Douglass, represent
the worth and the capability of the
Negro in three Southern States. They
are the equals of any of America
greatest and best white men in intel
lect and morals, and have purse suf-
ficient to back them up financially
1t would be no less silly in us to point
to these men as fair representatives Of
our race, and to John Saussaman and
others of that class as representatives
of the white race, than the actions of
our white friends who compare their
best to our worst.
The Hornet is truly correct when it
says "there are many things for our
race to do.p If he is not blind man
and deaf man, he sees clearly the
advances the Negro is making on the
white man. Not to the injury of the
white man, but for the good of all
A few years ago the white man owned
everything in the South, and even the
Negro was himself the property of the
white man. A few years ago the Ne
gro was not allowed to learn to read
To-day there are thousands of school
houses and school teachers for the
Negro throughout the South, and IL
literacy among the Negroes has d.
minished so per cent. more than among
the whites. The white man is not
only Invested of his slave property,
but thousands of acres of his lands
and millions Of dollars Of other prop
erty is now distributed among the
Negroes themselves. If many of our
good friends don't 60 to work and
put their dependence in something
better than ideal race superiority, they
will not only find themselves inferior
to Negroes in all that is considered by
man, but they will find themselves
and families dependent upon Negroes
for bread.
The Hornet says: "If the white
man will properly deport himself, the
Negro will hold off--he will not feel
that he is the equal, because, in want
Of education, culture, and business
integrity, he discovers distance too
great to overcome" Because, in want